Decolonizing 'Madness'

How has history constructed the concept of mental illness to pathologize difference and systematize interventions?

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How is the field of mental health in need of better understanding of racial, gendered, and sexual dynamics of mental illness and well-being?

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How do the humanities enhance and add critical understanding to the fields of psychology and therapy research and practice?

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How do the humanities inform our understanding of our emotional responses to conflict and trauma as well as our resilient capacity?

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In this Lab, we will consider how social "categories" factor in our understanding of "mental health." Specifically, we will investigate how race, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, and class become associated with discourses of mental health and/or pathology and how these discourses affect individual and collective life in multiple marginalized communities. Our investigations will inform our work to craft cultural interventions that both map the cumulative effects of intergenerational trauma and amplify Black, Indigenous, and People of Color's resilience and strategies of resistance. 

Collaborations

• Collaborators TBA

Decolonizing 'Madness' in the News

At the Humanities Lab, we strive to ensure our Labs are relevant and current. Here are some recent articles about intergenerational trauma and mental health injustice in today’s news!

‘What’s Going on With Our Black Girls?’ Experts Warn of Rising Suicide Rates.
A Federal Probe Into Indian Boarding School Gravesites Seeks To Bring Healing